Liquid sampling device



July 18,` 1950 o. E. MccLusKY LIQUID SAMPLING DEVICE Filed Oct. 27, 1947 Nm. mm kw NN NN LAI; F

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-rum -Nm Patented July 18, 1950 L IQUIDv s'AMPLING DEVICE Oliver EllMcClusky, Beaumont, Tex. 'l Applicatignoetober' 27, 1947, serial No. 782,261

` vThis invention relates to devices for securing a sample of liquid in a tank from any desired depth. Devices of this `characterare often employed in the sampling of crude oil, and when so used are commonly designatedas oil thieves or tank thieves. The cohventionalthief consists essentially of 'a tube open lat both ends so that the liquid may flow freely through the tube as `the tube is lowered into the tank. A valve associated with the lower end ofy the tube isarranged for actuation 'by suitable trip mechanism, either manually or automatically operable, whereby the lower end cf the tube can be closed at the desired depth, so that the sample of the fluid is entrapped in the tube and may be withdrawn for inspectionand testing. i 4

It isvan object of the invention to provide a sampling device which is simple andinexpensive to construct, readily operable either mechanically or automatically, and easily adjusted to effect automatic sampling of the liquid? ata'predetermineddepth.

It is a further obj ect of the invention to provide a sampling device of the character described in which displacement of the `valve tothe tube 'closing position is facilitated and a tight fit between the valve and its seat at the lower end ofthe tube is ensured. Thus it is ofteninecessary to take a sample of liquid from the:bottom ofthe tank, at which point sludge, shale, "and other solids are present, and these-solidsmay interfere with closing and seating of the valve at `the-lower end of the tube. In thepreferred form of the invention, therefore, I the valve 'and' associated elements are so 'formed `that sludge `and `other solids are displaced bythe valve as 'the latter moves toward theftube closing.positionfand'the valve plate is wedged against its seat to insure effective sealing of the tube. Further objects and features of tl'ieinvention will be apparent from theffollo'wing"description taken 'in connection with thej `accompanying drawings, in which f i "i Figures l and 2 are a. front and aside elevation respectively of a device to :which the invention is applied; i y' il Y" "V Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a partial sectional view takeiisubstantially on the line. 4-4 of Figure 3, showing the valve in opened positions; and f w Figure 5 is a view correspondingtoFi'gure' 4, showing the valve closed.V -f' I In order to facilitate anunder'standingfof 'the principles of the invention, the preferred embodiment illustrated-in the.;drawing`s.isrdescribed in '.155 claims. (C1. 78-42581) t detail herein. It will be appreciated, however,

that no limitation of the invention is thereby intended, and that such modications of the illustrated structure are contemplated as would normally occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. I i

As in the conventional oil thief, my device consists essentially of an elongated container or sampling tube, preferably comprising `an elongated cylinder of transparent plastic or vitreous material, initially open at both ends, a valve operable to seal the lower end of the tube, and trip mechanism for effecting displacement of the valve to close the lower end of the tube. f

The sampling tube, shown at in Figs. 1 and 2, is received `at its upper end in an annular groove formed in the lower face of a plate 9; the lower I end of the tube is similarly receivedin the upper face of a plate I0, the annular groove therein being shown at I2 in Figs. 4 and 5. A plurality of threadedV support rods I5, disposed in spaced circumferential relation about the tube 8', serve to clamp the `plates 9 and II) against the upper and lower ends respectively of the tube 8, as hereinafter more fullyv explained, forming with the plates 9 and Ill a supporting frame for the tube. A bail handle I6 secured to plate 9 is adapted to receive a line for lowering the device into a liquid container or tank. A thermometer I9 for measuring the temperature of the liquid at the desired depth and a scale plate 2D to indicate the height of the sample in the tube are suitably secured to the device. The upper and lower plates 9 and III-are provided with ports II andl I8 respectively, `so that liquid may move freely through the tube 8 as the device is lowered in a tank.

The valve mechanism for sealing the lower end. ofthe tube may be secured to the plate vII) by the'` supporting rods I5, the latter extending through apertured ears in theplate III and being received in threadedzapertures in corresponding earsformed on a valve body 23; lock nuts 25, threaded on thejbolts I5, engage the apertured earson the plate I Il and serve to prevent loosening ofthe bolts I5. 1

`thevalve comprises acarrying member 32 and al closure member 33', the closure member being supported on the `carrying member for rocking movement with respectv thereto. For instance, the carrying 4member may be formed with a central projection 35 which is received within a'conforming-recess in the lower face of the' closure member 33, sothat the `two members are main# tained inspaced relationas shown morepartic- In its preferred form, the movable portion of ularly in Figs. 4 and 5. The upper face of closure member 33 is arranged to seat against the lower face of plate I0, whereas the carrier member 32 is received with slight mechanical clearance in a longitudinal slot or opening 38 formed in the valve body 23. Thus as the member 32 is reciprocated in slot 38, the rocking connection between members 32 and 33 permits the latter to engage snugly with the lower face of the plate I0, so that when the parts occupy the position in which they are shown in Fig. 5, the port i8 in the plate I is eii'ectively sealed. l

In order that the valve may be freely displaced to tube closing position but will at the same time be pressed firmly on its seat, the bottom wall deiining slot 38 is inclined upwardly in the direction in which the valve is moved to close the port i8, the inclination being somewhat exaggerated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the ldrawing. Thus as carrier member 32 is displaced to- `ward the left from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4, it is concurrently dispaced 'slightly toward vplate l0, so that in its extreme left-'hand position, as shown in Fig. 5, it exerts a -wedging `action on the rocking valve member 35, to force the latter upwardly and rmly against its seat on plate 10, thus sealing the tube -8 'and preventing discharge of its contents as the .device is lifted from the tank. It will be noted that slot 38 is open at both ends, so that sludge or other solids entering the valve body are ejected from slot 38 as the valve moves into fthe closed position.

Valve body 23 is formed to provide a yoke portion 40 carrying a bearing plate 4l in which is slidably mounted a valve actuating rod 42, the latter being threaded or otherwise secured in the valve carrying member 32. rounding the rod 42 and engaging at its ends with the bearing plate 4I and carrying member 32 respectively, urges the valve carrying mem- -ber Aand the rod toward the valve closing position Fin which the parts are shown in Fig. 5. A v'knob 46 threaded on the end of rod 42 permits -manual withdrawal of the valve to open the port I8 against 'the action of spring 44.

A valve trip rod extends longitudinally of tube 8, and passes through aligned apertures in plate I'D and valve body 23, being slidable therein. A latch 52 is adjustably secured to rod 50 by set screw 53, the latch 52 and -rod 50 being yieldably lurged in a downward direction by a coil spring 54 Isurrounding the rod 50 and engaging at its ends with the latch 52 and a bracket 55, bracket 55 'being 1apertured to receive lrod 50 and being secured to an adjacent supporting -rod l5 by set screw 53. The degree cf compression of spring 54 may thus be adjusted by means of set screw 56, the bracket 55 being displaceable on its supporting rod I5 to the extent required. The `position of latch 52 on valve trip rod "50 may be similarly adjusted by manipulating set screw 53, Vso that the extent to which ytrip rod 50 projects -below the valve body 23 may be readily altered.

At its outer end, latch 52 is formed with la toe 158. VAs the valve carrying member 32 and valve actuating rod 42 are displaced to the left, or toward valve opening position, the toe 58 of the latch `is engaged and lifted by the inclined face `59 on the valve carrying member 32 and drops behind a 'shoulder 60 thereon, to retain the valve carrying member in its extreme left-hand posi- `tion (Fig. 4) against the action of spring A44. Thus the device may be initially set with the valve fopen 4by 'manually .displacing rod. 42 and A coil spring 44, surthe valve elements, the latch 52 serving to retain these parts in that position. When the valve trip rod 50 is lifted, either by operation of a line secured to its upper end, or when the lower end of the rod strikes the tank bottom, the latch 52 is lifted to release the valve elements, which are then displaced to the left from the position of Fig. 4 by the spring 44, thereby sealing the port I8 with a wedging action as shown in Fig. 5. Nuts 62 may be threaded on an adjacent support rod l5 to afford an abutment for engagement by latch 52, whereby upward movement of the latter is limited.

The mode of operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoing description. The valve is initially set in the open position by manual displacementof the rod 42, and the associated valve parts, the latter being locked in the displaced position by latch 52. The device is lowered in the liquid container or tank, and since both ends cf Vthe ltube V are open, the liquid will pass freely through the tube, which therefore ycontains at any instant a sample of the liquid at fthe llevel tc which `the device has been lowered. If'the'sample .is to be taken at a point elevated considerably "above the bottom of the tank, the Itrip :rod 5D is displaced upwardly by an operating :line :attached thereto, thus releasing the valve parts and allowing them to move to the left to effectively seal the lower end of the tube 8, which is then withdrawn from the tank. If a sample -from adjacent kthe bottom of the tank is desired, the vtrip rod 5t is appropriately positioned on the device by adjusting set screws 53, 56, so that the rod projects below -the bottom of the device to the desired extent. On engaging the bottom of the tank, the trip rod is displaced A'upwardly 'to `,effect automatic release and rclosure of the valve. To facilitate setting of the trip rod 50 -for `such automatic operation, the trip rod may .be provided with lindicia affording a visual indication of the setting of the rod, whereby the valve may readily be automatically closed at the 4.desired level above the tank bottom.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new :and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. ,In a liquid -sampling device, the combination with an elongated open ended container adapted to be lowered into a tank of liquid to be sampled, kof valve means lfor closing one end of said container on immersion of the latter in the liquid toa predetermined depth, said valve means comprising a valve body secured to said container and having a port 'communicating with the ccn- 'tainer end, said valve body being formed to provide v.a :slot extending transversely of the axis of lthe port, said slot zbeing open at both ends, a valve carrier supported for displacement in and lengthwise :of said slot, 'a valve .plate pivotally supported -on Vsaid carrier for rocking movement with :respect thereto, :said valve plate being :movable lengthwise with said carrier into port closing rtosition, the #base of said vslot ybeing inclined toward :said yport in the direction of port closing movement of said carrier, whereby said fplate is wedged against said port fas said 'carrier is so moved, spring means for urging said carrier toward port closing position, and releasable latch mechanism for retaining `said carrier vin 'port opened posi-tion.

2. In a liquid sampling device, the combination with an elongated open-ended container adapted to :be lowered into atank of liquid to be sampled, of .valve .means for closing :one end of said -con' tainer on immersion of the latter in the liquid to a predetermined depth, said valve means comprising a valve body secured to said container and having a port communicating with the container end, said valve body being formed to provide valve guide means extending transversely of the axis of the port, a valve carrier supported for displacement in and lengthwise oi said guide means, a valve plate supported on said carrier for rocking movement with respect thereto, said valve plate being movable lengthwise with said carrier into port closing position, said guide means being inclined toward said port in the direction of port closing movement of said. carrier, whereby said plate is wedged against said port as said carrier is so moved, spring means for urging said carrier toward port closing position, and releasable latch mechanism for retaining said carrier in port opened position.

3. In a liquid sampling device, the combination with an elongated open ended container adapted to be lowered into a tank of liquid to be sampled, of valve means for closing one end of said container on immersion of the latter in the liquid to a predetermined depth, said valve means comprising a valve body secured to said container and having a port communicating with the container end, a valve carrier supported for displacement on said valve body transversely of said port, a valve plate pivotally supported on said carrier for rocking movement with respect thereto, said valve plate being movable lengthwise with said carrier into port closing position, means acting between said carrier and said valve body to wedge said plate against said port as said carrier is so moved, andk means for displacing said carrier toward port closing position.

4. In a liquid sampling device, the combination with an elongated open ended container adapted to be lowered into a tank or liquid to be sampled, of valve means for closing one end of said container on immersion ofthe latter in the liquid to a predetermined depth, said valve means comprising a valve body secured to said con- K tainer and having a port communicating with the container end, said valve body being formed to provide valve guide means extending transversely of the axis of the port, a valve carrier supported for displacement in and lengthwise of said guide means, a valve plate supported on said carrier for rocking movement with respect thereto, said valve plate being movable lengthwise with said carrier into port closing position, said guide means being inclined toward said port in the direction of port closing movement of said carrier, whereby said plate is wedged against said port as said carrier is so moved, spring means for urging said carrier toward port closing position, a latch rod supported on said device for displacement lengthwise of said container, said rod projecting below said device for engagement with the tank bottom, a latch for engaging and retaining said valve carrier in port opened position, and means adjustably securing said latch to said rod.

5. Valve means for use in a liquid sampling device having an elongated open ended container adapted to be lowered into a tank of liquid to be sampled, said valve means serving to close one end of said container on immersion of the latter in the liquid to a predetermined depth, said valve means comprising a valve body secured to said container and having a port communicating with the container end, said valve body being formed to provide a slot extending transversely of the axis of the port, said slot being open at both ends, a valve carrier supported for displacement in and lengthwise of said slot, a valve plate pivotally supported on said carrier for rocking movement with respect thereto, said valve plate being movable lengthwise with said carrier into port closing position, the base of said slot being inclined toward said port in the direction of port closing movement of said carrier, whereby said plate is wedged vagainst said port as said carrier is so moved, spring means for urging said carrier toward port closing position, and releasable latch mechanism for retaining said carrier in port opened position.

OLIVER E. MCCLUSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 533,175 Krouse Jan. 29, 1895 565,239 Sheets Aug. 4, 1896 945,586 Penn Jan. 4, 1910 1,444,576 Williamson Feb. 6, 1923 '1,938,224 Remington et al. Dec. 5, 1933 2,137,128 Blake Nov. 15, 1938 2,174,100 Walker Sept. 26,1939 

